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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Natural Ways to Make Hair Stronger, Grow, and Shine (Cover Grays Too)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Hair is a big part of who most of us are. We use it to express our individual personalities, highlight our features, draw interest, and communicate with the world. Even those with thinning hair use what they have left to say something about themselves. Others shave every bit off, which also conveys a message to the rest of us, perhaps that they have moved past the need for hair.

Those of us who still rely on our hair crutches can do more to keep it healthy. Many shampoos and conditioners contain chemicals, preservatives, and petroleum byproducts that can build up on hair, irritate the scalp, and contribute to dandruff. Try some natural ways to boost hair growth, make it stronger, add sheen, and soften hair. Boost the health of your curly locks, bone straight mane, beautiful tresses, or perfect ringlets. For the guys, get that crazy mop under control or grow a handsome goatee, bushy beard, or even a mustache. Use them to say exactly what you want to about yourself.

Horsetail – This brush-like herb is rich in silica. Silica speeds hair growth, boosts shine, and strengthens hair. It has the added benefit of making nails stronger too. You can find it in capsules and as tea. You can also mix it in with shampoo to get right where it is needed.

Burdock Root Oil – This oil, also known as bur oil, promotes hair growth, improves scalp health, relieves irritation, and improves the natural shine and luster of hair. It helps reverse the thinning of hair and gets rid of dandruff. Apply the oil to your scalp shortly before bed on a regular basis.

Birch Oil – This is another herb that promotes hair growth. It also strengthens roots. Add birch leaves or oil to a soothing bath. Add the oil to shampoo to help condition and grow hair faster.

Rosemary – Rosemary is a pungent herb used in many Italian dishes. It also stimulates hair growth, fights dandruff, and adds some luster back to your head of hair. Include rosemary more often in your food, add it to baths, and use the essential oil in shampoo or directly on your scalp where hair is thinning.

Aloe – Aloe is a natural conditioner we lean on to soothe sore, dry, and sunburned skin. It can do the same for the scalp while encouraging new hair growth.

Sage – Sage is a natural dye that darkens hair, hides grays, softens, and adds luster. Boil the herb in water and then strain to make a refreshing rinse.

Chamomile – This herb is commonly used to comfort, calm, and promote sleep. It also conditions, softens, and strengthens hair while soothing the scalp. Chamomile lightens blond hair, adding highlights, or it gives a healthy sheen to darker hair.

Lavender – This herb balances oil production, fights inflammation, and combats infection. Lavender is very good for the scalp and it may help prevent balding too. Rinse your hair with lavender water or condition with lavender infused oil.

Jojoba Oil – Jojoba oil is very similar to the natural oils produced by the skin to protect, moisturize, and clean. This makes it the perfect oil to moisturize scalp and hair while it also stimulates new growth.

Coconut Oil – This oil is rich in essential fatty acids that condition hair and skin. Get rid of frizz fast, fight tangles, condition deeply, and dump dandruff. Use in small amount to fight frizz and tangles or rub it into your hair and scalp and leave it for half an hour before rinsing.

Peppermint Oil – Like rosemary, this essential oil stimulates growth right where it’s needed. This oil is pretty powerful stuff, so go easy and avoid touching any sensitive areas, like your eyes, after you use it.

Saw Palmetto – This herb is a common aid to prostate health, but it helps prevent male pattern baldness too. It can be found in capsules, ointments, and teas. Combine it with stinging nettle for even more effect.

Henna – Henna used to make safe and stunning temporary tattoos. It also makes a very good natural hair dye that leaves hair soft and nourished with vitamins and minerals.

Pumpkin Seeds – A delicious way to strengthen hair, pumpkin seeds are rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper that help hair grow in thick and strong. Eat a few throughout the week, just don’t overdo it. They are very calorie dense.

B Vitamins – B vitamins are important to hair, nail, and skin health along with energy production, hormones, and many other vital functions. Eat nuts, bananas, avocados, and legumes more often. If you get a supplement, avoid synthetics.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin A all help the body function at its best, so it naturally makes hair healthier. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the dark and brightly colored ones like berries, kale, spinach, pumpkin, and the like.

Vitamin and Minerals – Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables will give you the vitamins and minerals that the body uses to make hair strong and color it.

Learn more about Charlie Pulsipher First photo credit: lcs9 Second photo credit: Raphael Pinto Third photo credit: Robert Repta

Claims on this site have not been evaluated by the FDA. Information on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Sunwarrior’s awesome expert writers do not replace doctors and don’t always cite studies, so do your research, as is wise. Seek the advice of a medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle or diet.

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Charlie Pulsipher is a health and fitness enthusiast, writer, author, and neighborhood do-gooder. He shifted his education from Biochemistry to English Literature in an attempt to avoid math, but never stopped loving the natural world of the miniscule. He has published several fantasy and science fiction novels and helped others publish more down to earth books about natural foods. He can’t stop writing. He is probably happily tapping away on some keyboard even now.

COMMENTS / REPLIES 6

I'd like to do an oil infusion with some of the herbs to make shampoo bars with specific properties... like using saw palmetto, stinging nettle and burdock root and then use that oil in my recipe. Will heating the oil damage the properties of the herbs or should I do a cold process shampoo bar recipe? Thanks!!

This is one of those questions that can go either way. Heating the herbs may affect the benefits a little, but it also infuses the oil with the essential oils from the herb, which helps the soap smell better and carry the benefits throughout the entire bar, rather than locked up with the herbs alone. I would probably go with some heat if I were making them myself. Hope that helps.

Some of these are for internal effect, but most would work well in a bar shampoo. Use essential oils of peppermint, lavender, rosemary, sage, and more. You could also use some of the dried herbs. Coconut and jojoba oils are often a part of bar soap recipes. You could easily substitute some of the other oils in too.

I suppose you could with many of them, though not all. I use rosemary oil on my widow's peaks and coconut oil often. I have tried several others as conditioner, but some of these are for internal use to help strengthen hair from within with nutrition.